Meeting Mrs Berenson
by FashionDiva7
Summary: Mrs. Berenson wants to meet Rachel's boyfriend. Tobias and Rachel fluff.


**Merry Christmas! **

* * *

Meeting Mrs. Berenson

My name is Tobias. Bet you were expecting a last name, huh? Sorry to disappoint, but even if it were safe for me to tell you...I'm not sure i'd be able to. Yeah, that's right, I said 'if it were safe'. As in it's not.

Look, it's too long of a story to go into right now but you need to know the gist of it. Earth is in danger. Like, serious danger. We're under attack, fighting a war that not many even know is happening. Against who? The Yeerks. Basically evil alien mindcontolling slugs. Creepy, right? You dont know the half of it. They take you over, leaving you powerless. And you never know who's free and who's a controller. There's really no way of knowing. Look around you. Anyone you see could be one of them.

Lucky for you, there is a resistance. A band of six kids literally carrying the weight of the world. Well, technically four kids, a hawk, and a young andalite. Sounds like we're doomed, right? Well...we've kept YOU safe for this long, havent we? That's right, we have. So we must be doing something right.

My name is Tobias, as I said before. And let me tell you, the thermals today? Unbeatable.

I had been flying for several hours, just enjoying the surprisingly uneventful day. Now I was heading back to my meadow, feeling more relaxed than I had in weeks.

I landed on a low branch, letting the sun beat down on me. I realized that I was not alone.

"Tobias!" A blonde girl came strolling into my meadow. She was about my age, bright eyes looking high up into the trees. Rachel.

((Hey stranger.)) I greeted her.

She looked around wildly, trying to spot me.

I dropped to the forest floor and immediately started to morph. My eyesight dimmed, my senses dulled and I got taller. Feathers melted into skin, and my beak retracted to form a nose and mouth. I was human again.

Rachel heard my bones rearranging and she turned around quickly. She smiled and reached into her bag. "Here." She threw a pair of jeans at me.

I was thankful. Wandering around in my morphing suit was awkward beyond belief. As I buttoned the jeans over my suit I noticed Rachel clenching and unclenching hands. It was a very un-Rachel movement.

"You ok?" I asked. My voice rasped a little from lack of use. It always took a few tries to get it back to normal.

Rachel nodded. "I want to ask you something...but I don't know if-"

I was curious. "What?" I asked.

She sighed, and in one breath hurriedly muttered. "?"

"Huh?"

Rachel took a breath and asked slower this time. "Would you like to come to my house, tonight, for dinner? My mom wants to meet my boyfriend..." She smirked as she said the last word.

"Umm..." My mind was racing. Would I be able to remember to make facial expressions? Would I forget to blink?

"I mean, its ok if you dont want to-"

"I'd love to." I interupted.

She looked honestly surprised. "Umm, ok...So I can borrow some of Jake's clothes and leave them behind the garage...come at 7ish and morph there. You can demorph and morph again in the bathroom if dinner goes on that long."

She really had thought of everything. "Yes, Xena." I said with a mock salute.

She took a swipe at my arm. "See you at seven birdboy."

It wasnt until after she left that I allowed myself to freak out. This was going to be disasterous. What was I suppossed to say? 'Hey, Mrs. Berenson...no i dont go to school with rachel, i had to drop out when i lost my humanity'? No, this was going to be a nightmare.

* * *

Heart pounding, I rang the doorbell.

I heard the banging of heels on the wooden floor as Rachel rushed to open the door. "Hey Tobias." She grinned, slightly out of breath. She looked over the outfit. "I knew that was your style!"

I looked down at the black jeans, black tshirt and leather jacket. Did she think I was goth or something? I shrugged it off. Rachel was all about fashion...i'd just trust her on this one. At least it didnt have feathers or something along those lines on it. I had been afraid she'd pull something like that...

She led me into the living room, where her mom and sisters were waiting. ((Rachel, what do I say?)) I didnt trust myself to speak.

Rachel saved me. "Hey mom, this is Tobias." I willed my face into what probably vaguely resembled a smile.

"Hey." I greeted.

Jordan whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear, "Rachel's got a boyfriend!"

Rachel's face flushed red, but i noticed that she didnt correct her.

"Nice to finally meet you," Mrs. Berenson said, putting her cell phone back into her pocket. "We've heard so much about you."

"You too," I said, shaking her hand.

Mrs. Berenson continued. "We were beginning to think Rachel was making you up!" She laughed, and I noticed Rachel giving her mom the death glare.

* * *

"So, Tobias...do you have any hobbies?"

_You mean besides kicking alien butt, and flying over the city? _"Reading, hiking..." I replied, glad my voice came out sounding honest. I mean, what could I really say?

Rachel gave me a look like she knew close to what I was thinking. Then, she started fluttering her eyelashes really dramatically. Oh, right. I blinked. She smiled and shook her head. I knew I'd never hear the end of that later.

"Any plans after high school?"

I lied. "College." Like they'd ever let a hawk into the class. Ha. That would be the day.

Naomi didnt pry. I was grateful, because there really wasnt much I could say. I was gonna be living in the forest for the rest of my life, and I knew it. Knowing a bunch of equations wouldnt really help me in my daily life.

* * *

When I had twenty minutes left in my morph, I excused myself. I stood up, clearing my place at the table. "Well, I've gotta go, my uncle wanted my home by nine. Thanks for inviting me."

Naomi smiled. "You are welcome here anytime, Tobias." 15 minutes.

I walked out the door and then circled around back into the wooded area of their backyard. When I was safely within the trees, i noticed someone rushing up behind me. I tensed, until I heard the voice.

"Wait Tobias!" Rachel grabbed my arm and pulled me around to face her. "Thank you." She leaned in and kissed me. It was a brief kiss, but beneath the moon it was magical. 10 minutes. I pulled back.

"Night Xena."

She smiled. "Night Birdboy."

I demorphed and for once her expression stayed happy throughout the morphing. She was happy, in a way she hadnt been in a while.

((Love you Rachel)) I whispered in thought speak.

She beamed. "I love you too Tobias. More than you will ever know. See you tomorrow?"

((How about sooner?))

She laughed. "I'll leave my window open."

The princess and the hawk. Demented, but right it's own way.

* * *

**Just a random plot bunny that wouldn't leave me alone.**

Review! :)

-Nina


End file.
